


Pathogen

by DelightfullyRidiculous



Category: Ancient Egyptian RPF, Classical Greece and Rome History & Literature RPF, Future - Fandom, Historical Fiction, Historical RPF, Time travel - Fandom, library at alexandria
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Future Fic, Historical References, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 17:55:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19891945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelightfullyRidiculous/pseuds/DelightfullyRidiculous
Summary: The Library at Alexandria, Egypt.Established in the 3rd Century BC, the most significant and enlightened center for information of the ancient world was the core for study and the exchange of ideas.Scholars from all over the known world would flock to the library to review her ancient scrolls, contribute their findings, and offer discourse on the latest scientific discoveries. Astronomy, medicine, physics, mathematics, and culture thrived in what was the hub for intellect and learning. It was magnificent. Countless scrolls and artifacts were stored at this great house of learning whose existence was completely and totally pure: the pursuit of knowledge.In 30 BCE the library was destroyed in a horrific fire that claimed numerous lives as well as all of the manuscripts and scrolls of the most modern research. The reason or cause of the fire is still not entirely known. Almost immediately after its destruction the world was plunged in to what is known as the Christian Dark ages, a period between the 13th and 17th centuries. Four hundred years of backwards living and scientific stalemate all because of the fall of an empire and the burning of a library.





	Pathogen

Prologue

The Library at Alexandria, Egypt.  
Established in the 3rd Century BC, the most significant and enlightened center for information of the ancient world was the core for study and the exchange of ideas.  
Scholars from all over the known world would flock to the library to review her ancient scrolls, contribute their findings, and offer discourse on the latest scientific discoveries. Astronomy, medicine, physics, mathematics, and culture thrived in what was the hub for intellect and learning. It was magnificent. Countless scrolls and artifacts were stored at this great house of learning whose existence was completely and totally pure: the pursuit of knowledge.  
In 30 BCE the library was destroyed in a horrific fire that claimed numerous lives as well as all of the manuscripts and scrolls of the most modern research. The reason or cause of the fire is still not entirely known. Almost immediately after its destruction the world was plunged in to what is known as the Christian Dark ages, a period between the 13th and 17th centuries. Four hundred years of backwards living and scientific stalemate all because of the fall of an empire and the burning of a library. 

The Second Library at Alexandria, Egypt 2240 A.D. 

I adjusted my tunic and leather boots before I walked into the Grand Hall of Science. I just graduated from the Academy a week ago and was already being given my first assignment. I was absolutely terrified.  
Glittering flags hung low from the arched ceiling depicting the original Library of Alexandria’s creation, existence, and demise as I made my way slowly down the hall trying to drag out the time before I had to walk in and face my mentors for my assignment. I glanced out one window as I passed by and admired the hover cars zooming in the sky in neat, orderly lines. They were 100% environmentally safe, converting water into vapor that would return to the sky and be rained down again. The beautiful green lawn outside the library shone brightly in the sun and the crystal blue sky was devoid of any clouds. It’s hard to believe that just a century before we were so close to a desolate wasteland instead of the peaceful coexistence that we currently enjoyed.  
So much changed in one century and it was all thanks to common sense. One day at a meeting of world leaders it was as if every head of country in the world got tired at the exact same time. In one moment everyone realized that every war fought on this planet could be narrowed down to food, land, skin color, or opinions. Was it really so hard to just coexist and help each other? So a radical plan was enacted.  
For centuries people have been fighting the same wars and having the same arguments and it had only led to pain. Nuclear wars, famine, environmental destruction, and disease were the only guaranteed outcomes for any conflict. The plan was simple; instead of starting wars over what were basically trivial power moves and personal vendettas, each country would be devoted only to the betterment of the planet as a whole.  
The entire world finally got tired of fighting. Within weeks new collaborative research began to cure the most horrible of diseases, clean energy was instituted for the entire planet, and education was provided to anyone who just wanted to learn. Common sense saved the world.  
The Second Library of Alexandria was built 20 years after the Great Peace Accords to celebrate the planet’s significant positive development. It stood for everything the original monument stood for. Anyone who desires knowledge need only walk through the door.  
I made it to the end of the hallway and stood before the great oak doors of the meeting hall. I sucked in a deep breath willing myself to calm down. Mastering in physics and chemistry at the Academy, I had dedicated years of my life to perfecting Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.  
I remember being a child and my mother telling me the story of the first Library’s birth and death. It broke my heart and I cried myself to sleep that night. In the middle of a war, knowledge was murdered and humanity suffered for centuries.  
I became obsessed with the study of time and outcomes and how this one moment changed the course of history. And how I could change it. It became my mission to perfect the theory. If the Library hadn’t been destroyed the world could be so much more advanced than it is now! In my obsession with time patterns, I solved the equation. Time travel was now possible. But could we try it?  
That’s what today’s audience was about, to discuss if it could or should be done. I honestly had no idea what my opinion was. For years of my life I was working towards this goal and now I achieved it, I never asked myself if I should. I took one more breath to steady my nerves and raised my hand to knock on the door.  
“Alexander!” a voice hissed from down the hall. In the past fifty years the name “Alexander” had become the most popular among boys so the odds that I was the Alexander being summoned was slim until the voice called a little louder, “Alexander Blake!” That’s actually me. I turned to see my partner Annette quietly jogging towards me.  
When we entered Academy we were all assigned a partner with similar logic and thinking as ourselves but a different area of expertise. This saved us the hassle of having to make friends the old fashioned way. Where I was a master at chemistry and physics, Annette specialized in anthropology and human studies. We balanced each other perfectly.  
When we first met we were both terrified that having different areas of study would leave us nothing to talk about, but quickly discovered our similar mannerisms and personalities allowed us to keep each other entertained with talk of our respective fields without boring each other. She has been my best friend ever since we met and I was beyond happy to have the chance to speak to her before the meeting.  
“Annette, I’m glad you’re here. I’m so nervous,” I told her my voice shaking. I wrung my hands to keep them from trembling.  
“Relax Nerd, you’re going to do fine. Just remember you’re here because you made an amazing discovery and the big guys want to speak to you about it. You’ve done nothing but good things here,” she said.  
She readjusted my tunic and flattened it out so it wouldn’t look wrinkled. Our tunics were matching with black sleeves and pants beneath colored robes. Mine was green representing science and hers was blue for human studies.  
“Any chance you can come with me as my back up? Make me look tough and smart?” I joked, but secretly hoping she would. I was the quiet one, she never shut up. We really did balance each other.  
“Xan,” she said in a completely serious tone now. Her serious tone meant business and I focused harder on her words. “You just came up with an idea to change the world. You have nothing to be scared of. Go in there and meet your future,” she said holding my chin so I couldn’t look anywhere but her eyes.  
“Okay,” I said suddenly feeling just as smart as she always told me I was. “I got this. I’m going in.” I turned away from her and marched determinedly towards the doors again.  
“Good luck, Brother!” she whispered.  
“Thanks, Sis,” I whispered back before pushing the door open and walking inside.  
The Grand Hall of Science really lived up to its name. A high vaulted domed ceiling allowing in natural light covered an oval room with murals depicting various scientist throughout the ages and their discoveries. Archimedes, Isaac Newton, Andreas Vesalius, Ada Lovelace, Marie Curie, Hedy Lamarr, just to name a few of the geniuses who smiled down on me as I walked towards the center of the room to a podium.  
I was surrounded by the Deans of Science with the president of the Academy, Sonja Franklin, right in front of me. The term “genius” seemed too small to describe this scientist. Born in Poland, orphaned at two years old, Dr. Franklin worked her way up on her own and was granted admission to the Academy at Alexandria at the age of 12.  
She became president of the Academy when at the age of twenty two she developed a pharmaceutical drug that could cure cancer after three doses. She saved thousands of lives that first year. Hundreds of thousands ever since. I was beyond intimidated to stand before her. Her red hair was sprinkled with gray, and she wore a dark green robe with black stoles denoting her rank as the most senior member of this board.  
The fellow scientists and professors surrounding her hushed as she raised her hand and addressed me. “Dr. Blake,” she began with a smile. “We are incredibly proud of your discovery and contribution to the Academy. Congratulations are in order for all your hard work and dedication.” She smiled politely and I wasn’t sure if I should thank her or stay quiet. The woman commanded respect just by existing. I decided to stay silent which proved to be the right choice as she continued speaking.  
“However you are called here today for the subject matter of your final thesis paper.” Dr. Franklin produced it from a file in front of her and turned it to face me.  
This surprised me. I spent eight years at the Academy solving one of the most trying equations in history and she wants to talk about my reasons for doing it to begin with? Sure there were some ethical arguments and moral qualms about time travel but I made sure to specify repeatedly throughout the paper that my research was purely scientific and that my motivation had been that silly bedtime story from when I was a child.  
“My thesis paper, Dr. Franklin? To be honest it’s not as good as I could have made it. It’s basically explaining my desire to solve the equation. My final research presentation and documented experiments are far more conclusive and informative.” I was starting to get breathless again. Maybe I had done something wrong.  
“That is exactly why you are here Dr. Blake. Your thesis paper is the question people have been asking for centuries. It is significant because you are the first person to answer the question at the end.” She finished in a matter-of-fact was as if now she was making sense.  
“I don’t understand, Doctor,” I admitted. Words no self-respecting scientist should ever utter in the presence of superiors.  
“Let me be perfectly plain, Dr. Blake,” she said slowly. I was starting to think that their opinion on my genius was quickly going downhill. “For centuries people have wondered where we would be in the world if the first Library at Alexandria had not been destroyed. We would be even further advanced in intergalactic travel and research had mankind been able to build off of that work instead of restarting from scratch. You have provided the answer to that question in solving the equation for time travel.” Dr. Franklin finished. I could tell she had not expected to have to use small words with me and was starting to get annoyed.  
I was starting to see the general direction she was heading in with bringing up my thesis paper. “If I am understanding you correctly, Doctor, you are proposing using my equation and creating a time jump back to the third century and stopping the burning of the first Library?” I almost laughed at the suggestion. It sounded so ridiculous!  
This was my child hood dream that kept me motivated when I was discouraged in my research. It was a silly idea that I never thought would come to fruition. When I developed the answer for the equation I assumed any time jumps would be used rarely and in pursuit of regaining facts that had been lost to history. But this was huge. This wasn’t stepping on a bug in the past and killing your ancestor. This would be rewriting a huge chunk of human history.  
“That is exactly what I am proposing, Dr. Blake. And we would like you to be the one to go back in time and stop the arson.” Dr. Franklin was looking at me with an expression that was part confused and part annoyed. She hadn’t been expecting this reaction from me. She was expecting joy and instead got my skepticism.  
“Dr. Franklin are you seriously asking me to change the world right now?” This was incredulous. This wasn’t real. I was probably home right now dreaming that this whole thing was happening right now. Okay I knew I wasn’t.  
“Yes Dr. Blake. The committee has discussed it and a portal has been constructed that will transport you back in time to two days before the burning was determined to take place. You are to monitor the Library, find anyone who has foul intentions, and stop them by any means necessary. Deadly force is allowed.” She was so clinical about her words and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.  
I was about to start sputtering when I took a breath and really looked in her eyes. She was desperate. She too had been wondering this question her entire life and now I was dangling the answer in front of her face. I could deny her use of my research. I could prevent this. But her eyes were begging me in the name of science and the human race.  
“May I bring my partner with me? Dr. Annette Bennoit would be an excellent addition, she can help me logic the situations, draw conclusions, figure out the point of origin—“. I was cut off before I could finish my plea to have my best friend with me while I saved, or ruined, the world.  
“It’s not possible. More than one traveler increases the risk of further upsetting the time stream.” Dr. Angelou, head of quantum physics stated from off to the side.  
“Further upsetting the time stream than changing a major point in human history?” I countered.  
“Not possible.” He quipped. “Even so, the portal can only transport one person.” There goes my chance of having my best friend as back up to change to world. Wasn’t it just five minutes ago I wanted her as back up to talk to this group of people?  
“Enough!” Dr. Franklin said in a loud voice. She was getting irritated now. “What do you say Dr. Blake? Will you do it?” I heard her breathe out quickly knowing how badly she wanted this. I finally stopped and ran a quick simulation situation through my head to determine the possible outcomes.  
First outcome, I stop the arson change the future. Second outcome, I fail and come back to the same world I live in now. Third outcome, I fail and die in the process of trying to fix everything. Was it worth it though? I breathed in and formulated my answer.  
“Dr. Franklin, if I succeed there is no telling what I will come back to here in our time period. Changing such a huge event in history will be an enormous effect. What if I come back and everything is so advanced and different I can’t cope? What if I create a world in which I don’t exist? And who’s to say the world I create would actually be better?” I finished sadly.  
Had they considered all those things? We had always thought of the beautiful scientific utopia that the great Library of Alexandria could have created. But what if it didn’t turn out that way?  
Dr. Franklin looked at me for a long time before she spoke again. “Dr. Blake, in the name of science that is a risk I am begging you to take.” She sat back in her chair and sighed. “You don’t have to decide now. You have until the end of the week to give us your decision. We are offering you the opportunity to be the first to go back because it wouldn’t be possible without your discovery. Should you decide you do not want to go back, we are still requesting your research.”  
Dr. Franklin stood up and the rest of the council followed suit. I forgot there were other scientists here. I felt like I had just been arguing with the smartest person on the planet privately instead of making a fool of myself in front of pretty much every future employer I could ever hope to work for.  
“This meeting is adjourned.” Dr. Franklin dismissed us and she exited through a door at the back of the room.  
I turned around swiftly and stalked towards the door and pushed my way out. Annette was still there waiting for me pacing nervously in front of the doors. She jumped when she saw me come out and ran to embrace me. I returned her hug, desperate for any type of comfort or support.  
“How did it go, what did they want, and what do you get to do?” Her questions all poured out at once jumbled up in her excitement.  
“Later,” I answered coldly and walked towards the front of the building.  
“What do you mean ‘later’!” she asked incredulously. “The biggest meeting of your life and you walk out looking like you just got an enema!” I laughed at her observation and tried to explain.  
“It didn’t exactly go well. I’ll tell you everything, but please let’s just go home first.” She stopped me in my tracks and looked me straight in the eye. I could tell she wanted to keep badgering me but something in my face must have showed her just how drained I was from the meeting.  
“Okay,” she relented. “Home first, then the details.” We left the Library and made our way to the student housing across the street.  
Annette started buzzing about her most recent study of ancient Egyptian cultures and the impact they had on the development on the Greek and Roman empires. She was trying to distract me while at the same time distract herself from bugging me about the meeting. I appreciated her attempt but I really couldn’t focus on her words as I replayed the events of the meeting in my head. Had I really been offered the chance to change the world and said no?  
When we got to the dorms I made my way to my room and Annette followed me in. Her room was right down the hall but we practically lived in each other’s rooms anyway, crashing after cram study sessions, or falling asleep after movie nights.  
“Okay, please tell me everything!” she screeched as soon as I sat down on my bed. She had been respectful of my wish to stay quiet until we got to the room and I know it was eating her up inside. I rubbed my eyes and laid back in order to try to relax for a moment before I told her everything.  
I closed my eyes and regaled her. “The council wants to use my research and equation to build a portal and go back in time to stop the burning of the first Library of Alexandria.” I said it quickly like ripping off a band aid and waited for her overzealous excitement. But she stayed quiet. That got my attention and my eyes snapped open as I sat forward again.  
Annette was sitting quietly at my desk chair and stared at me with this incredulous shock on her face. That was really out of character for her. “Say something,” I urged prodding her leg with my foot.  
Her mouth finally got around to forming words and she said, “Can I go with you?” She sounded scared, which scared me.  
“That was one of the first things I asked, they said no.” She nodded once but remained silent still. “What are you thinking?” I pushed.  
She looked at me with tension and worry forming on her forehead. “This is something people have been wanting to fix for centuries. It will change the course of human history. This will change all of our lives.” She said quietly before continuing. “But what about you? Whatever you change, you’re altering the world you’ll come back to.”  
I was so glad our perfect pairing of logic supported my previous fears. But it didn’t help that we were both worrying about it without either one of us having a solution. If she could go with me I would be more eager to say yes. If I screwed everything up at least I’d have my best friend with me. But I would be very much alone in this and that’s what scared me most.  
“What should I do Nettie?” I only called her that when I was really anxious and she knew it too.  
She finally looked at me and relaxed her posture. “I think you need to do it.” I was genuinely surprised by her answer. I was expecting our twin apprehensions to be the final nail in my denial coffin.  
“Why?” I asked. She could tell how terrified I was and still wanted me to do this life altering thing that wasn’t just my life but the lives of every person on the planet. She took a steadying breath before looking me straight in the eye with her answer.  
“This is bigger than you, Brother. This is bigger than us. This is the fate of the entire planet. By stopping the burning, you can prevent so many major wars and catastrophes. Where logic and science exist, common sense and decency prevail. If you go you will be changing things for good. You’ll come back to a different world. But the needs of the planet are more important than our own fears.” And then Annette did something I had never seen her do. She started to cry. Soft sobs shook her body and she started to suck in quick breaths to get herself to stop.  
“Hey, hey what are you doing?” I almost shouted. Nettie didn’t cry. She was strong and kept herself and everyone around her together. She got up from the chair and came and hugged me and held on while she cried for a few moments longer.  
“I’m sorry Xan,” she gushed after a second. “It’s just you’re my best friend in the whole world. I don’t want to lose you. And the idea of living in a world where we never meet or never even know each other sounds so bad!” A few more tears fell and we held each other close.  
I had been thinking the same thing too. We had been each other’s shadows for years that the idea of not being within arm’s reach of the person who kept me strong and determined for so long was killing me. “You’re my best friend Nettie. And you’re right. I don’t want to live in a world without you, but this is bigger than us.”  
She sniffed and finally met my eyes. “So you’re going to do it?” I held her gaze and tried to imagine completing this assignment without her next to me. It was going to be hard but I was going to get through it.  
“For you, for the world, yes. I’m going to do it.” I hugged her again and we held each other for a moment longer.  
She took a shaky breath and then said, “I’m proud of you, Brother.” I smiled with my face buried in the crook between her shoulder and neck. We had started referring to each other as Brother and Sis our second year at the Academy when an instructor mistook us for being twin siblings. We were so close. We would always be close. My achievements were only possible because she was with me every step of the way telling me I could do it. I held her tight thinking of how different everything was from the day we me until this moment and smiled.  
“Thanks, Sis.”

I didn’t waste much of the council’s time and reported back to the Grand Hall of Science the next morning with my answer. Dr. Franklin was obviously relieved and excited but remained calm. “Thank you for your service Dr. Blake,” she said smoothly giving me a firm hand shake and then turning on her heel to power walk to the physics lab.  
I was ushered to the human history department for a crash course on the time period I would be entering. Annette was in the anthropology department and came to meet me when she saw me enter the hall. “You lost, Nerd?” She was back to being her playful self but I could see behind her eyes she was still sad.  
“Nope. Today is the day your dreams come true.” I might be upset about this arrangement but there was no way I wasn’t going to enjoy every last second with my friend.  
“What do you mean?” She asked skeptically crossing her arms. I took a deep breath and sighed, imagining how much she was going to enjoy the next few hours.  
“I need you to educate me on ancient Egypt for my time jump. And I also need you to dress me in time period appropriate wear.” As expected her screech practically went ultra-sonic and she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the back of the museum.  
“To really fully understand and appreciate all of this knowledge and culture we really need to start at the very beginning. To the Homo habilis exhibit!” She pulled me along and led the charge as I stumbled behind her. This was going to be a long day. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend it than to listen to Annette talk endlessly for hours and hours and then dress me up like an ancient Egyptian Ken doll.  
Unfortunately for me time period appropriate clothing meant a long toga and, leather sandals, and a shawl. Annette didn’t even try to disguise her enjoyment of my suffering as she showed me how to walk like a scribe who spent his entire adolescence buried in books. Which I did, so it actually wasn’t too hard to learn.  
The rest of the afternoon was us goofing off and her telling me everything to be aware of once I got there. “Avoid guards, don’ look suspicious, be wary of the things you say, some words might not even have been invented yet!” She droned on and on and I listened.  
Part of me was expecting to travel back in time and through a horrible stroke of luck end up stuck back there. That sounded worse than coming back to a future that wasn’t home anymore. Eventually a messenger from the council arrived to summon me. Annette didn’t ask if she could come too, she just started walking with me and I was glad.  
We arrived at the physics hall where more scientists, the council, and even a few reporters were waiting for me. Dr. Franklin was in the center of the room next to a table with a small device on it. It looked like an arm band with a screen on one side and a few various buttons on the wrist part.  
“Dr. Blake, Dr. Bennoit,” she greeted Nettie and me. She didn’t seem surprised to see Nettie. After my expressing how badly I wanted Nettie to go on the assignment with me she was probably expecting her too. Dr. Franklin called for attention and the room fell silent. She drew herself up to her full posture and faced her audience.  
“Today we make history,” she began. “Or rather the brilliant Dr. Blake will be re-writing it.” A few nervous chuckles murmured through the hall but I just stayed silent and reached out for Nettie’s hand. She squeezed my hand tight and I suddenly was no longer nervous.  
Dr. Franklin went on to enrapt her audience with the details of my mission but I couldn’t will myself to pay attention or focus. I was too scared, too nervous, and just downright terrified of everything that could go wrong. At some point Dr. Franklin concluded her speech and turned to face me.  
She picked up the device and showed it to me. “This arm band is what we incorporated the portal into. We have set the designated time of your arrival to two days before the Library was determined to burn down. It is programmed to return you to this exact time and date regardless if you complete the mission or not. Any questions Dr. Blake?”  
My throat felt dry and I had to swallow a few times before I could answer her. “No ma’am. I’m ready.” She attached the band to my arm and Annette rearranged my shawl to cover it. She wouldn’t meet my gaze so I gave her hand one last squeeze. We both knew it was time to go. Her eyes were shiny with tears but I knew there was no way she would dare cry now.  
“Good luck, Brother,” she whispered.  
“Thanks, Sis. For everything.” She knew what I meant. I knew what she meant. I dropped her hand and faced Dr. Franklin. She handed me a satchel which I assumed to contain supplies for my brief stay. I slipped it over my shoulder without looking inside it.  
“Ready,” I said in a loud voice that feigned conviction.  
“Godspeed Dr. Blake,” Dr. Franklin gave me a genuine smile and then programmed my arm band. And then she was gone.  
Everyone was gone actually. One second everyone was here and then nothing was here. Panic seized me and I tried to call out for Annette but my voice was stuck somewhere in my throat and wouldn’t come out. All of a sudden a whoosh, as if all the pressure in the universe was going down on me at once. A feeling like falling down Niagara Falls while riding a mechanical bull careened me towards a sandy surface and then the whole word pulled into focus.  
A feeling I could only equate to being chewed up like a piece of bubble gum and then spit onto a busy highway slammed me into the sandy ground and it took me a while to reorient myself. When my head finally stopped spinning I took stock of my situation and focused.  
Number one. Am I alive? Wiggle toes, breathe in, check for anything broken. Check. I was alive.  
Number two. Where am I? Desert, obviously. I stood up and shook the dirt off my shawl and toga and looked around. The Second Library at Alexandria was at an approximate location to where the original one was. So I had moved in time, but not that much space. But man, did this place look different!  
Well, it has been about 2,000 years, so what was I expecting? About a mile off I could see what looked to be a wall surrounding a city and a road that led through a huge gate. That must be my destination. Check. I had arrived.  
Number three. Stay alive and change the world. Easy peasy, no problem. At least that’s what I told myself as I started the trek towards the wall.  
I took that time to check the satchel and see what I had been given to survive two days in the ancient world. Two loaves of bread, some cheese, a sack of water, and a leather pouch with about thirty pieces of gold. Note to self: don’t get robbed.  
It took me about ten minutes but I finally reached the gate. Two guards in armor carrying spears and shields automatically bared the way and regarded me with suspicion. “Advena Quid tibi hic?” Latin. Foreigner! What business have you here? Lucky for me, Annette dared me to take Latin our third year saying I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I passed with flying colors. She wasn’t so lucky when I counter dared her to take a nuclear physics course. She didn’t last the first day.  
“I am a humble scholar. I would like to study at the library,” I spoke quickly and clearly while at the same time making myself look as un-threatening as possible. The guards relaxed and lowered their spears to let me by. Just another day on the job for these guys.  
“Another book worm. I was hoping something interesting would finally be happening,” one guard joked to his partner. I walked through them but couldn’t help but asking them something before I left them.  
“The Library at Alexandria is the most prestigious and enlightened place of thought. I would think it an honor to be in such a city!” The guards laughed as if they heard this constantly. Which they probably did.  
“Trust us, scholar. The glamor of guarding dusty scrolls wears off quickly. Just once I would like some excitement in this town!” The guards laughed and then assumed their position facing out away from the city. You really don’t mean that, friend.  
I made my way into the city and tried to hide my very tourist response to the vast market place and number of people milling around going about their days. Little did they know that in just two days the focal point of their existence and sustenance would be gone forever. Not if I have anything to do about it.  
I walked slowly through the market place and took in my surroundings. Dark skinned merchants left their stalls to push their product in my face and draw me towards their booths. Tanned ladies in brightly colored robes brushed by me and giggled at my obvious shock.  
In that instant reality crashed into me. I was in another country, in another time period! A surge of giddy joy started to bubble through me and I contained myself. I settled just for happily smiling at anyone who passed me, ruffling the hair of little children who chased each other my way, and generally just enjoying the experience.  
I passed a stall of brightly colored fruit I had never seen before and couldn’t resist purchasing one to try. As I dug out a coin I kept my hand buried deep in my satchel so no one could tell I was carrying a lot of gold. I ended up buying two fruits, one for me and one to take home to Annette. However this mission panned out, I was going home and I would see Annette again.

At the center of the town was the Library. My breath wheezed out of my chest. I was the first person in centuries to see the magnificent Library. It was enormous, at least three stories with turrets ornamenting the top of the building proudly waving the flag of the Egyptian Empire. The colossal structure loomed over me and I was overcome with emotion.  
People all around me continued on with their days as if we weren’t in the presence of greatness. To them they saw this building every day and were accustomed to it. To me I was seeing my childhood fantasy come to life. And now I was going to walk inside. I made my way up the steps and nodded at fellow students entering and leaving the building. I walked inside and couldn’t hide my genuine astonishment.  
Rows and rows of shelves containing various scrolls and papyruses seemed to stretch on forever. Gorgeous paintings of past great thinkers hung on the walls illuminated by torches that cast a warm and comforting light. Scribes walked briskly by reorganizing shelves, students spoke quietly over stretched out writings, and then my dumb self, standing right in the middle of the entrance gaping slack jawed at the most amazing thing in existence.  
An old man walked up to me and chuckled. He was balding, with a white beard, and milky blue eyes. “I can always spot a new comer. You all make the same face,” he laughed again and then imitated my face and I laughed with him. His voice was dry from inhaling dust all day and probably drinking too much wine and not enough water.  
“My name is Xan. I’m a student come to study here.” I thought it wise to use my nickname instead of “Alexander.” There was only one “Alexander” around here and he was “The Great.” I stretched out my hand to shake his and he in turn grasped my forearm.  
“Quintus Aurelius,” he spoke proudly and released me. “This library is home to all who seek knowledge and wisdom. I am head curator here. Any questions just look for me. I’m always ghosting around.” He smiled again and turned to walk away but I stopped him. In my fascination and excitement I almost forgot I was here on a mission to save mankind.  
“Not to be alarming, but I heard rumors on my way here about the Library,” I wasn’t sure how to form the question without sounding odd or suspicious.  
Quintus regarded me and then replied, “The rumor that the Library is haunted? Yes, it probably is, try not to think about it too much,” he laughed and I forced out a chuckle. Log that away for future reference.  
“No, I heard that there was possibly going to be an attack on the Library. Or at least on the city.” I spoke slowly hoping not to frighten him. Quintus seemed amused by my warning.  
“Who would want to attack a library? We carry books on war, but we also carry books on botany. Both would be useless in an attack. No, my dear boy this Library is safe and the city too has nothing of value any invading force could want. Trust me and enjoy your time among the scrolls.”  
He left me then and strolled on his way. I adjusted my satchel and robe and started to walk through the rows of scrolls, trailing my fingers along the wooden shelves, feeling the soft papyrus beneath my fingers. Could he be right? I saw no outside threat on my way in, the people too seemed happy and at peace. Nothing seems wrong here but what is going to happen in two days that this Library will be reduced to ash and tears?  
I spent the rest of the afternoon in study. I roamed the different levels gazing at the ancient texts full of the most spectacular research of this current time period. I chatted with students sitting at various tables and asked them about what they thought of the Library, where they were from, what they were studying. It was hard to believe this place would be gone soon.  
Among the scrolls and people laughing and enjoy this shared space of culture and knowledge I was able to pretend for a moment this was life for me. I felt so at home here. I fell asleep that night nestled in an alcove surrounded by scrolls and the soft breeze blowing through windows.  
The next day, later in the afternoon, two students I had noticed earlier joined me on balcony as I observed the city and the people walking and going about their lives. “So tell us, Stranger. What brings you to beloved Alexandria?” The man who spoke to me was tall and dark skinned, with a shadow of a beard and excited, bright brown eyes.  
He couldn’t have been more than 18. Will he die in the Library tomorrow? He was accompanied by a young woman wearing a long green robe which partially wrapped around her head held in place by golden jewels. She looked similar to the man and cast her eyes down when I looked at her. I decided to be friendly with them, even if they were marked for death.  
“What brings me to the center for knowledge and culture of the modern world? Science, my friend!” I smiled and held out my arm and he grasped it firmly.  
“As have we all, friend. I am Nixus and this is my sister Naevia,” he said gesturing to the young woman. She briefly held my eyes and smiled then slid an inch closer to her brother. He turned to me again.  
“Like you, we come to study.” He smiled proudly and I followed him from the balcony into the inner rooms and took a table.  
“My name is Xan,” I told him as I sat down facing them at the opposite side of the table. After my initial shock and wonder of the Library, dismal sadness swept over me at the prospect of it being wiped from the earth along with the friendly students and scholars who walked its halls.  
“Xan,” Naevia muttered. “Strange name,” she regarded me with questioning eyes.  
“Naevia, be polite!” Nixus scolded her.  
“No it’s fine,” I laughed. I hadn’t come up with a cover story for my strange name so I just told them my parents couldn’t agree on a name for me once I was born so a relative named me so neither would be dissatisfied.  
“You seem melancholy, my friend Xan. Have the wonders of Alexandria already disappointed you?” He seemed genuinely concerned for a stranger like me and even though I thought it impossible it saddened me further.  
“No, Nixus. Alexandria could never disappoint me. I spent my entire life hearing of the wonder that is the Library. Now that I see it, see the books, the scholars, and wonder and culture that lives here… I will be heartbroken to leave.” It wasn’t a lie at all. I was missing home and Annette terribly, but this place was so fantastic and awe inspiring. I would be satisfied to spend days, weeks, years of my life absorbed in learning and studying from everything here and the people coming and going.  
My sadness seemed to startle them both and they shared a glance. “Well then, our new friend Xan, you must experience the real Alexandria while you are here,” Naevia finally said. I was surprised since she had seemed so quiet and guarded.  
“Join our family for dinner. Father loves company, especially those with far off tales. And Mother would love any excuse to have her cooking praised. Will you come with us?” She looked at me hopefully and I didn’t know what to say. Emotion had my throat closed up. This place was too pure. The share of knowledge, culture, and learning its sole purpose for existence. And it was going to be laid to waste.  
I finally was able to meet their excited gazes and nodded. “Thank you so much, yes. I can’t think of a better way to spend an evening than with good food and company.” Nixus smiled and stood, then Naevia and I followed suit.  
“Excellent!” he practically shouted and was shushed by a few students near the table. We laughed and he grasped me by the shoulders and we made our way out of the Library and into the busy street.  
As we walked towards Nixus and Naevia’s home, Nixus talked animatedly about the city, how it was built, how long it had been standing, their family, and what he was studying. I hardly had an opportunity to get a word in, but I didn’t really care. If Nettie couldn’t be here, new friends would suffice to keep me distracted from the sad reality of my mission. Nixus kept a firm grip on my shoulders so he could shift me and point out different land marks and everything he found interesting in the city. Naevia didn’t say much, but she smiled at her brother as he spoke animatedly about everything and anything.  
When we finally reached their house he was breathless. A delicious smell of smoked fish and fresh bread wafted through an open door way and my stomach grumbled. I hadn’t eaten any of the food in my pack all day and I suddenly realized I was starving. An older woman who looked much like Nixus but far shorter, came bustling out of the house shouting at her children for being gone from home for so long.  
“Here come my son and daughter! When they could be home learning how to survive in real life they waste the hours of the day buried among books and dust. And here I am, breaking my back to feed and clothe you!” She was wrapped in a lovely red shawl and toga and quit shouting once she noticed me.  
“Hello Mama,” Naevia and Nixus muttered in unison and both walked over to her to kiss her cheeks and explain my presence.  
“Mama this is our friend Xan. We met him in the Library, and he is a stranger to Alexandria.” She regarded me with suspicion, probably displeased with another mouth to feed. Nixus noticed her expression and went on, “He is here in the city all alone. No family nearby. He came all this way to see the Library and the beauty of Alexandria! The least we can do is offer our hospitality.”  
She still didn’t look pleased with my being there. I bowed low to her and in my most polite voice said, “Pardon my intrusion ma’am. Your son speaks the truth, I am here alone. He spoke so highly of your home, the Library, and especially your cooking. I would be beyond honored if you would accept me into your home tonight. I just now realized that as I wasted my day in the books I haven’t eaten yet today!”  
That caught her attention and she immediately launched into mother mode. “Haven’t eaten today! Why didn’t you say,” she smacked Nixus on the back of the head and pulled me into the house. She began fussing over me, taking my cloak, offering me a cushion on the floor and samples of dinner to be sure I would enjoy it.  
The house was warm and dimly lit on the inside. I was in some sort of sitting area and I could see a doorway leading into a kitchen. Nixus and Naevia’s mother immediately insisted I refer to her as ‘Mama’ and before I could reply she shoved a spoon full of some sort of sauce into my mouth muttering about how foolish children were for forsaking food for books.  
Naevia and Nixus joined me on the cushions and laughed at my astonished face and their mother worrying over me. An older man wearing a long brown cloak walked in then, kissed Mama on the cheek and joined us on the floor. He was balding, with and pepper grey beard and tired eyes. “My children, back from the Library! Did you enjoy your time there?” he asked them both without looking at me.  
“Yes, Papa.” Naevia said then gestured towards me. “Papa, this is—“she started to say but her father cut her off.  
“My day was terrible! Merchants trying to swindle me, lazy workers, managers hassling me! I should have never gone into accounting!” he shouted wagging his finger in the air. “Promise me, Nixus, you will not go into this thankless business!”  
Nixus laughed and then tried gesturing at me again. “I promise I won’t Papa. Like Naevia was saying, this is—“he didn’t finish because his father cut him off the same way.  
“And don’t get me started on wage disputes! I am the first one to arrive and the last one to leave! I know everyone’s hours and they still try to argue with me! How ungrateful they are!”  
He finally looked in my direction when he said that and seemed to notice me for the first time. “Who are you? When did you come in?” he said genuinely confused. I couldn’t help but laugh, even though it probably came off as a little disrespectful.  
“Oh, you crazy old man,” Mama said as she entered carrying a steaming pot and placing it in the center of the room, in front of where we were seated. “This is Xan, a friend of your children. He is a good boy who is having dinner with us!” Apparently their father cut off everyone when they were speaking except for Mama.  
“Oh wonderful, I love guests! Call me Marcus!” he reached out his arm and I grasped his smiling. It was nice to know that as centuries progressed, families would always be weird and quirky. “Tell me boy, how you came to know my children and be welcomed into our lives?” He grabbed a piece of bread and dipped it into the sauce that was in the pot. That seemed to be everyone’s cue to start eating and I likewise grabbed a piece.  
“Well, I came to see the Library and Nixus and Naevia were kind enough to—“but he cut me off.  
“The Library! Have you ever seen anything so magnificent? You are a smart boy to travel so far and long to see it! That’s dedication! Are you a scholar?” he finally paused to breathe.  
“Um, yes but I actually specialize—“  
“A scholar is what you should aspire to be, Nixus,” he shouted cutting me off.  
“Yes, Papa, I know,” Nixus smiled obviously entertained that someone else was on the receiving end of his father’s rants.  
We spent the rest of the evening in a similar manner. Every once in a while, Mama would interject and tell Marcus to stop talking and let one of us say something. He would be quiet for a moment only to get animated again by something one of us said. It had been a while since I had sat down at a family meal like this. Living at the Academy for so many years, dinner was me, Annette, and a few friends crashed in front of a movie eating whatever was being passed off for food from the dining hall. It was nice, but not like this. This was a family. And they had just let me in whole heartedly. I laughed a lot as the night wore on and I was very stuffed by the end.  
“Eat more, boy, you’re too skinny!” Mama nagged as she tried to force more bread and sauce into me.  
“This is absolutely delicious, but I couldn’t eat another bite! Thank you so much,” I said smiling at her loving face. She seemed to believe that I was telling the truth and finally yielded her spoon.  
“You see what he says? My food is delicious! You children should be good like Xan!” she scolded Naevia and Nixus. They laughed as she puttered off into the kitchen. Marcus was reclined on a cushion behind him but rose as Mama left the room.  
We stood up with him and stretched. He turned to me and grasped my hand. “Xan the Scholar, it has been lovely getting to know you this evening. I hope you have enjoyed yourself. As for me, I go to help my wife clean and praise her cooking and goodness. I shall retire.”  
“Thank you, sir. But the honor is entirely mine to be allowed into the finest home in all of Alexandria.” He smiled at me, patted Nixus on the shoulder, kissed Naevia on the forehead and disappeared into the kitchen.  
Nixus yawned and stretched high. “And I, like my father, must retire as well. My friend,” he turned towards me and grasped my arm firmly, “I shall see you tomorrow. A new day dawns at the Library.” His words sobered me and my heart started to race. My face must not have showed it, because he smiled and turned down a hall towards what I guessed to be his bedroom.  
That left me alone at the door way with Naevia and a worrying look began forming on my face. “Where are you staying the night?” she asked me. It occurred to me I hadn’t thought that far ahead either. This mission was going terribly. No clue who would burn the Library or for what reason. No plans for dinner. No plans for where I was sleeping. Man, I need to get my life together.  
“Um, the Library I suppose. Knowledge never sleeps.” I smiled at her and she returned it.  
“Then I shall escort you back. These streets can be confusing at night if you do not know your way.” I accepted her offer and held out my arm for her to take.  
The night was cool, and a full moon shown down brightly on us illuminating our way to the Library. The street was quiet and a soft breeze made our cloaks dance lightly around us. She didn’t say anything, just held onto my arm and we walked serenely. The Library was a short distance off. I could see it standing high surrounded by numerous thatch roofed homes and the market place some way off.  
“You never said where you came from,” Naevia finally broke the silence. Her voice startled me. When did she become so vocal towards me? I hadn’t said where I was from originally yet and had been skirting around the topic. San Francisco sort of didn’t exist yet, and I tried to lie as little as possible. These people had shown me kindness and lying about something trivial made me feel uneasy.  
“It’s very far away from here,” very much so not a lie. She wasn’t satisfied and her hazel eyes looked at me expectantly.  
I cleared my throat and went on. “It’s very crowded, and noisy, even at night. There are people everywhere and everyone looks different, no two people are the same. The first time I left home it was weeks before I was able to fall asleep to complete silence.” That made her laugh and the noise surprised me.  
She had been so guarded when we first met, and somehow relaxed over the course of the night. “That sounds lonesome. People everywhere but no one the same.” She looked at me concerned and I was touched by the sentiment.  
“Not really,” I smiled at her. I searched around for a way to make her understand without saying something stupid. Like I’m actually from the future sent on a holy mission to stop the burning of the Great Library at Alexandria. That actually helped me.  
“It reminds me of the Library. Everyone is different but there for one purpose. To share knowledge, culture, life. Everyone has something new to offer so there is never a dull moment.” I smiled suddenly very wistful for the Academy. My eyes had been downcast as I described my home and when I finally looked at her she was staring at me intently. It suddenly occurred to me that she was very beautiful and it was probably very inappropriate for us to be alone together, especially at night.  
“You remind me of someone from home,” I accidentally blurted out. I was becoming way too comfortable in this place and needed to remember why I was here. That definitely caught her attention.  
“A woman?” she smiled cheekily.  
I laughed at her insinuation. “Yes but it’s not what you think. Her name is Annette. She’s my best friend and she’s brilliant. I think you two would like each other very much.”  
“Annette,” the words sounded strange in her mouth, probably because she had never heard such a name. “You must bring her to Alexandria on your next visit. If she is as brilliant as you say my brother will fall head over heels in love with her, and she’ll have to take him off my mother’s hands!”  
We both laughed and I realized we had arrived at the Library. I was actually very sad to have to say goodbye. I wasn’t lying about her reminding me of Annette. They were both very easy to talk to once you are acquainted. I didn’t go inside immediately and she didn’t turn to leave. “Thank you again, to you and your brother for tonight. You showed me a great kindness by bringing a stranger like me into your home.”  
She blushed and wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “We knew once we saw you that you were no stranger. We are all one in our pursuit of science. And if one day if we decide to travel to your home you must show us everything your land has to offer. What did you say it was called?”  
Without even thinking I said “San Francisco.” Idiot move, please don’t ask me to elaborate! She looked at me confused.  
“San Francisco. I have never heard of it.” I laughed awkwardly trying to recover.  
“Well, I told you it was far off!” She relaxed and accepted that excuse. Nice recovery, Slick.  
“Well then, I guess this is good night,” I bowed low to her and turned towards the Library, but she grabbed my arm. Turning me to face her she grasped my face and planted a kiss right on my lips. I was so shocked my brain didn’t tell me what to do so I just stood there stupidly for a few moments.  
She laughed at my expression, and I started to fumble around for some words. “Will I see you tomorrow?” I asked. What was I doing? I have a mission, I cannot get distracted!  
“Will you be here at the Library?” She was still smiling and giggling at my face.  
“Yes, all day,” I shouldn’t tell her that, but why again?  
She blushed and looked at the ground and began to turn. “Then you shall see me tomorrow. Goodnight.” She turned around, pulled her cloak up over head and disappeared into the night. 

Walking back up the steps into the Library I decided to take stock of the utter stupidity that is my logic. Let’s review, shall we? My mom tells me a bed time story that puts me on an obsessive career path that ends in me perfecting time travel. Normal kid stuff. My superiors order me to go back in time and change a significant part of history and rewrite time. Slightly out of the ordinary. In a day and a half I have no idea what I am doing, my mission is bust, I’m crushing on a girl a few centuries older than me, and I just invited her to a bonfire tomorrow that will end in our horrible, painful deaths! Did I miss anything? Oh, I think the cheese in my knapsack is moldy.  
Okay, down to business. No more screwing around. This Library will not burn tomorrow. If it does I will burn with it. I pushed through the heavy doors and entered the Library with a determined look on my face. From the corner of my eye I saw Quintus Aurelius hobbling down a row of scrolls on Egyptian gods and goddesses.  
I followed after him and cornered him at the end of the row only to find him hunched over a little holding his stomach. “Quintus!” I called softly so as not to startle him. His head inclined slightly in my direction but he looked like he was in a lot of pain and couldn’t make himself seem more professional. “Are you alright?” I rushed to his side and supported him with one arm around his waist and the other trying to straighten him up a little.  
We walked together to a bench next to a window that looked out over Alexandria. Quintus sat down with a heavy thud and sucked in a deep breath. He sounded wheezy, his hands trembled, and sweat had already broken out on his forehead.  
I sat with him for a moment until his breathing slowed and he was finally able to look at me. “I’m such a silly old fool,” he muttered and tried to laugh at his situation.  
“No, you’re not,” I said immediately. He didn’t look well at all and his hands were cold in mine. “You’re very sick, where should I take you? Do you have a room here?” I sort of had just assumed he lived here. All the time I had been wandering around the Library I had seen him lurking in corners, restocking shelves, or just strolling around the ground floor until someone stopped to speak with him.  
“You are a good boy, Xan. Thank you for your help. If you wouldn’t mind escorting me to the turret in the third tower?” He looked at me apologetically. The turret he was referring to was on the third floor. And in his condition he was in no shape to walk by himself so it would be me supporting most of his weight up three flights of stairs.  
Without hesitation I stood up, got a good grip on Quintus and we began our march up to his room. It was slow going, and of the two of us he was definitely having a worse time. As we made our way up the stairs I couldn’t help but wonder how he had gotten sick so quickly. I spoke with him as I first entered the Library yesterday. Sure he was old, and old people get sick, but he was so lively and energetic. The feeble old man next to me looked like he was on day three of having the flu.  
We didn’t speak much, just focused on getting to the third tower. When we finally finished our journey up the stairs he pointed to a heavy wooden door that presumably led into his room. I let go of him with one arm to grab a torch that was hanging on the adjacent wall and pushed the door open. His room was quaint and exactly what you would expect of an old man who lives in a tower in a bloody Library. In the corner of the room there was a bed with rumpled sheets.  
A wood and brass chest in the corner with the lid open had various robes and sandals strewn about it as if the top of the box had been blown up and clothes erupted from inside. A huge window overlooked a view of the city with a desk with open scrolls spilling over the sides and ink wells dotted the floor with quills and parchment lying around as well.  
I helped him over to the bed and noticed a fireplace across the small room. As I moved over to the fireplace and began the process of setting a fire I could hear his labored breathing and soft groaning. Whatever he had, he contracted it so fast. I tossed a few blocks of wood from a basket near me into the grate. Thankfully the wood was dry and caught fire quickly. As soon as a warm blaze began to seep through the room I made my way back to Quintus. His eyes were closed. His breathing had slowed down significantly but it was still ragged.  
He must have sensed my presence near him because his eyes opened and looked at me with a sheepish smile. “Thank you very much, my boy. Most people wouldn’t have given a wiry old scribe like me a second glance.”  
He laughed but was immediately taken over by a coughing fit. There was a water pitcher on his desk and I brought it over to him with a random glass I found on the desk too. I wasn’t sure how clean it was but he was already sick. He drank from the cup slowly and I couldn’t contain my curiosity any longer. “Quintus, what happened? I saw you earlier and you were fine!”  
He finished off the water and smiled at me. “I wish I knew, boy! I hear one student coughing, another child sneezing, soon every other person is looking miserable. The Library is the cleanest and safest place in the city. How did this happen?” He was starting to look very agitated and concerned.  
I forced him to lie back and relax. “It’s okay, Quintus. You’ll be better after a good night’s rest. It’s probably just a little bug going around making a few people sick.” His eyes snapped to mine in astonishment and I realized the error of my words. In a time period like this a little bug didn’t go around and make a few people sick. Plagues blew through, slaughtering the unlucky in their paths.  
Automatically alarmed I started to run through the list of symptoms I knew for the Black Death. No signs of sores or bleeding. Couldn’t be smallpox either, he didn’t have a rash. Coughing and sneezing students were the elementary school sign that it was flu season. I repressed my panic. A few people with the flu is bothersome but he would be okay.  
I looked back at Quintus and he had relaxed back again on the bed. I still have a mission to carry out and he looked trusting enough that I could recruit him for help even in his current state. “Quintus,” I began slowly. He was still sick and I didn’t want to make him worse by causing him to worry. “Do you remember what I said to you when we first met? How I had heard a rumor about the Library?”  
His eyes were closed but he smiled and turned to me slowly. “Yes. Some silly idea that the Library was in danger. But I told you, there is nowhere safer in Alexandria.” He chuckled softly at the very idea that his beloved home was somehow threatened. I swallowed hard and squeezed my eyes shut. I needed to save this place. Not just for the future, but for the people that would die caught up in an inferno. I needed to tell him the truth. Not all of it, just enough the stop the catastrophe. Alright, time to dispense with the B.S.  
“It’s true. The Library has been threatened. I was sent here to find whoever means it harm and stop them, whatever the costs.” He was still chuckling softly but my deadly serious tone and face must have alerted him to the graveness of the situation.  
“No, it cannot be! It is too good, too pure!” He started to get up and I pushed him back down. Tears started to well in his eyes and I completely understood his anguish. This place wasn’t a pile of scrolls and maps. It was his home. It was his entire world.  
“I know Quintus, I know. I am going to stop it but I need your help. Who do you think would threaten the Library and why?” He was feverish and probably starting to get disoriented. For a few moments he muttered to himself on all the reasons I had to be wrong or how it was impossible. My silence and persistent glare must have cemented the reality of the situation in his mind.  
He took a long glance at me and breathed deeply to settle his nerves. “The only culprits to such an evil deed could be the Romans. They are my first suspect. Alexandria is the center for knowledge and science. It is pure light and goodness. They will seek to squash it, just for cruelty sake.” Tears spilled out from the side of his eyes and he grabbed my cloak with strength that surprised me.  
“Do not let them take it! Please, Xan! If this place dies, I will die with it!” He was starting to panic and I shushed him and patted his arm.  
“I swear, Quintus, on my life. I will stop this from happening.” He must have believed me because his grip on me loosened and he sunk back in to the bed.  
“Good boy, good boy,” her murmured until he drifted off to sleep.  
I left his room and made my way back down the Library floor. Passing through the stack of what I could only associate with newspapers I began to skim the current events of the empire. Thank you Nettie, for saying I couldn’t learn Latin. It’s saving my life right now. I stuffed a few more scrolls into my bag and made my way outside of the Library. Perimeter search around the Library grounds showed no sign of worry. A few woman in doorways. Some people making their way home. A couple of guards meandering around on their nightly patrol. Good, starting with them.  
I made my way towards the guards determinedly ignoring the spears in their hands and the swords at their belts. After a quick bow and exchange of pleasantries I realized they were the guards who let me into the city gates the day before.  
“Gentlemen, how goes the night?” They seemed bemused by me. After all I was another scribe coming into the city to read some books, study scrolls, and be on my merry way. I was the kid guys like them beat up in grade school for being friends with the teacher.  
They exchanged amused glances before the one on the left answered me. “All is well this night, friendly foreigner. Enjoying your time amongst the dust and scrolls?” They laughed at me and moved to walk around me.  
“Wait a moment, I have a question for you.” They stopped and turned toward me clearly annoyed. I didn’t continue speaking right away, just awkwardly stared at them while I tried to come up with something to say that wouldn’t make me look suspicious.  
“Well?” Guard number two said. He was bigger than his colleague and only slightly more intimidating. I swallowed and looked him in the eye.  
“I was just wondering if everything is okay. With the city I mean. No threats, no danger?” Those words caught their attention and they immediately gripped their spears tighter. In one long stride they were right in front of me. Looks like I said something suspicious.  
“What is that supposed to mean, foreigner?” The first guard nudged me slightly with his spear. It wasn’t hard, but I could still feel the threat behind the gesture.  
“Nothing!” I said quickly. “I was just in the Library, and I had a sort of feeling. Like a foreboding sense of danger.” Ancient Egypt was big on warnings from the gods and a sense of dread, right?  
The two guards laughed and took a step back from me. “I told you that place was haunted! It makes people paranoid!” The second guard said to his friend and they continued to laugh at me. These guys were useless to me. I bade them goodnight and continued on my perimeter walk around the Library.

I spent the rest of the night combing through the current events of the Roman Empire interspersed with hourly walks around the Library searching for any suspicious people. I probably looked suspicious walking around so frequently, but no one was looking for me! At some point I must have dozed off because I snorted myself awake to find that I was face down on a table with a few parchments stuck to my face and light streaming in from a nearby window. I shook my head and tried to reorient myself. Today was the day.  
I suddenly remembered the arm band I wore that was programmed to send me back to the future. I hadn’t looked at it at all since Dr. Franklin had put it on my wrist. Was that just two days ago? It felt like a lifetime. Technically it was several lifetimes ago. No one was around so I pushed back the fabric of my cloak to look at it. It stretched from the top of my wrist to about three inches before my elbow. It was black with a few lights and wires running through it. Other than that I couldn’t see the mechanism without taking it apart. I didn’t have the appropriate tools and I couldn’t risk damaging it. I covered my arm back up and laughed to myself. All this because of a bedtime story.  
I scrubbed my face with my hands. My eyes were dry, stubble was scattered around my jaw, and my mouth had a horrible taste. I took a sip of tepid water that was nearby and shook myself to focus. Focus. That’s all I needed to do. Just a few hours more and everything would be alright. Or a lot of people would be dead. With that cheery thought I pushed up from the table, gathered my belongings and left the reading nook I had stationed myself in. I didn’t care what the guards thought.  
I had a radical plan that was stupid enough to work. I was going to tell them the truth. Well, part of the truth. Okay, just the important details of part of the truth. Whatever, their thinking I was insane wasn’t important anymore. Saving the Library will be everyone’s number one priority. A few other groggy patrons had spent the night in study like me. I walked briskly by a stumbling student rubbing his eyes. A girl resting her head on a table groaned and stretched. A young boy walked slowly by me coughing and massaging his temple.  
I made my way from the second floor downstairs to the guards that should have been stationed outside the door way. It was still very early, and people were just beginning to mill about the market place and start their day. It was then that I noticed what was very wrong with everything I had just seen. I stopped in my tracks about ten meters from exiting the Library. I turned and with a scientist’s gaze analyzed the current situation.  
The stumbling student didn’t carry a satchel like mine or a traveler’s cloak. He was a local. Why would he spend the night in the Library? The girl resting her head on the table. Women studied here, but no family would allow a daughter to stay out by herself so late. The boy coughing. He couldn’t be more than ten years old. He would be here delivering a message or fetching a sibling. I finally zeroed in on the common factor between these people.  
They were sick. They didn’t stay here late last night studying. They were too fatigued to move. The boy. He was heading toward a stack of medical papyri. Looking for something to bring home to explain a sickness? Quintus. Last night he looked like the walking dead. He could very well be becoming one. The horror of what I was witnessing finally hit me. I now know why the Library at Alexandria was burned to the ground. I now knew who did it. I now knew the cause of the great tragedy.  
My throat started to close up and tears formed in my eyes. It couldn’t be happening. This was too cruel, some sick cosmic joke. The Library was good in every sense of the word! Learning, knowledge, research, exploration! That’s what it stood for and what it should have stood for centuries to come! The murder of a wonder so pure was unfolding right before my eyes. And I was absolutely powerless to stop it. Because I caused it.  
The realization hit me like a truck. My hands started to shake and I gasped in more air trying to steady myself. I couldn’t lose control. I had to at least try to save someone before the Library was destroyed. I looked around the Library to see if anyone there was still healthy and not showing any signs of sickness. There weren’t too many students here yet, and any that were looked sick or slumbered at a table. I had no plan, no way to save anyone, and my mission was quite literally about to crash and burn. It was just then that I heard my name. I turned swiftly to see Nixus and Naevia entering the Library. No, not them. Not now. They had to survive.  
“My friend!” Nixus called to me and waved me towards him. They didn’t deserve to die. He was smiling at me but not a full face of cheer like I had seen on him before. Something was wrong. I looked at Naevia. Her eyes were downcast and she wore a dark red robe which she clutched tightly around her shoulders. When they reached me her eyes met mine and she smiled briefly and let out a deep breath. She looked exhausted.  
Her eyes were red rimmed and I could tell her hands shook slightly holding her hood close. “Nixus, Naevia, good morning,” I grasped his arm and tried to smile and hide my growing panic.  
“How are this morning, Xan?” Nixus eyed me studiously and kept a firm grasp on my arm.  
“I am fine,” I answered obviously lying. “How are you two doing? Your parents?” I held out a slim hope that they were doing well and that everything was going to work out for them. But Nixus’ hesitance to answer and Naevia’s downcast eyes told me everything I needed to know.  
“Honestly, my friend, we are not well. Mama and Father were ill this morning. Mama couldn’t stand for too long and Father relented and did not go into work. Naevia and I feel strong enough. But I am afraid a strange sickness has come to our home.” He finished and cast his eyes around the Library. What he saw did not comfort him.  
“Why are you here then?” I asked a little forcefully. I needed them to leave now. If they were sick their chances of surviving and getting better rested in them getting home.  
“We seek a medical papyri, for a recipe of herbs. Anything really to help us feel better. And the council of the Curator Aurelius,” Naevia answered. She looked very tired but was trying to hide just how sick she was from her brother. And Quintus! I had momentarily forgotten about him!  
What were the odds that a good night’s rest and isolation in his quarters had helped him get better? I needed to find him and get him out before tragedy struck. I needed to get these two moving and out of here. I was not going to save this Library but I was damn well going to save my friends.  
I was trying to formulate an argument to convince them to leave when Naevia swayed on her feet. Instinctively I reached out to steady her and Nixus regarded my move with a confused glance. “Brother, search out the scroll for us please. I suddenly feel unwell,” She swallowed and used my arm for support.  
“Not you too, Sister!” His look of utter compassion and worry for his sister gave me a swift kick to the gut.  
“I am fine, Nixus. Our friend Xan will look after me for the moment that you are gone. Seek out the scroll so that we may be on our way home.” Her voice was very forceful and commanding for her fragile state, and I admired her strength.  
He gave her a long look before meeting my eyes. “I’ll take care of her. Just go quickly and I’ll help you both home.” They had to survive. They took care of me and I would die to take care of them. Nixus turned and disappeared down a row of scrolls and books. I took the opportunity to lead Naevia over to a window seat. She gratefully sank down onto the cushioned seat and accepted the cup of water I brought to her from a nearby table.  
She took a long deep drink and steadied her breathing. Her eyes looked into mine and she managed a small smile. “This is such silly nonsense,” she gasped out quietly. I couldn’t help but smile at her. I just met her yesterday but I still felt a strong pull towards her and a desire to protect her engulfed me. She was beautiful and brave and seeing her sick was breaking my heart.  
“You are not being silly. You are, however, sick. As soon as your brother comes back we are going right back to your house. I won’t leave Alexandria until you and your family are well again.” I didn’t think about what I was saying but I meant it. I didn’t care about the Library anymore. I cared about Naevia and Nixus. I would smash the time piece and stay here forever so long as the two of them were safe.  
Naevia smiled at my words and tentatively reached out to grasp my hand. I was surprised by her actions but gave her fingers a light squeeze anyway. I was comforted by her touch and knew she was as well by mine. “I shall never get better,” she muttered.  
Her eyes were down and she held tightly to my hand. “Of course you will—“, I immediately began, but she cut me off.  
“If you leave when I am well, then I will gladly stay sick.” It was then I understood what she meant. She wanted me to stay. In that moment I could imagine staying here for her. Living here, aging here, and dying here. With Naevia. Sure I would miss my home, and Annette, but Naevia was worth it. I smiled at her and felt warmth spread through me. I forgot about where I was and what I was doing.  
I just looked into her beautiful hazel eyes framed by her dark skin and felt peace. I realized just how close we were then and really wanted to kiss her. She smiled knowing at what I was planning and lightly pushed me back. “Don’t,” she whispered smoothing back my cloak. “I don’t want you to get sick like me.” Her words sent reality crashing back on me. What was I doing?  
I immediately sobered and stood up. Naevia looked confused and slowly stood as well. I would carry her out of here right now if I had to. Luckily Nixus arrived carrying a few scrolls and was walking briskly towards us. “I have them, let’s go now.” His smiling demeanor and playful spirit was gone replaced by a serious mask of determination.  
“What is it?” Naevia asked seeing his expression.  
“We are going home now!” He reached for her with one hand and we started to follow when we heard a scream and a crash.  
A man was coughing, and dark ink streamed down his cloak as he stumbled and fell over a chair. Not dark ink. Blood. He was choking on blood. He fell face down and didn’t move anymore. A few other students took that as their cue to collect their belongings and scatter before things got worse. It was at that exact moment the guards arrived for their shift. One look at the bloody corpse sealed the fate of a major turning point in history.  
“Plague!” The guards bellowed and barred the doors shut.  
“Plague! Plague! Plague!” the word was being screamed from people running around inside the Library and terrified people in the market square below us. I watched helplessly as treasured books and scrolls were cast aside and trampled on by scared students, people ran and shoved each other trying to find a way out. From our position near the window I could see more guards running towards the Library and townspeople heading towards their homes.  
Nixus jumped into action and began banging on the door and begging to be released. Naevia began to tremble violently and the terror in her eyes revealed that she knew exactly what was about to happen to us. She began to cough and blood trickled down her chin and onto her hand. The horrible bright spots seemed to taunt me. She gazed in anguish at the ruby droplets and looked at me with so much sadness I could feel part of myself dying with her.  
Nixus looked back from banging on the doors and windows and saw me supporting Naevia and the blood trickling onto her cloak. “No!” he screamed and ran to her. “No, I will not let you die!” Naevia’s knees went out and we sunk to the floor and I held her tight.  
Nixus stroked her hair and muttered words of comfort to her. “Take care of her, I will find help!” He ordered and ran off. I didn’t have time to stop him. There wasn’t going to be any help. We were going to die. I could already smell the smoke.  
I don’t know if the fire started inside first from someone knocking over a torch or if the soldiers began burning it from the outside. I didn’t care anymore. I held Naevia close and watched the flames lick up walls and scorch the pillars. People screamed, shelves toppled over and crushed the patrons who had so lovingly gazed at them hours before. I didn’t move, just sat holding Naevia and gazing into her eyes as she struggled to breathe.  
I could tell she was trying to speak but blood in her throat was making it difficult for her. “Go!” she finally managed to choke out. “You can still escape… still survive.” Tears streamed from her eyes and she touched my face gently.  
“No,” I told her. “I promised I wouldn’t leave until you were better.” Tears blurred my vision, either from the rising smoke or my own personal hell consuming me.  
“But I am dying!” she croaked out. She was crying harder now and clutched at my cloak.  
“I am not leaving you, Naevia.” She moaned and I pressed my forehead to hers trying to comfort her in any way.  
“I would have loved you,” her words startled me. In the midst of fire and death she was trying to live a lifetime we would never have together. “I would have loved you,” she said again. “We could have been together. Been married, had children. Raised them here or in your home. Your Annette would have married Nixus. We would have been happy.”  
I started to cry harder and I pressed kisses to her face. She laughed and continued to talk. “We would have raised our children to be scholars like us. To always study and seek out knowledge.” I smiled and kissed her scarlet lips.  
“That sounds perfect.” She smiled around the blood and tears and I loved her in that moment.  
The smoke and fire was unbearable now. I raised my head and shouted for Nixus. We didn’t have long and he should be with his sister when we all died. A figure stumbled by and I reached out hoping it was Nixus. It was Quintus. His gaze was vacant and blood trickled down his head, but he didn’t seem to notice. “It’s gone, it’s gone,” he murmured. He looked at me, but didn’t really see me. “It was too good and too pure for this world. At least I die with it.”  
He shook of my grasp and disappeared into the smoke. I looked around and saw just how quickly the fire was spreading. The soft, dry parchment I had run my fingers over yesterday were ash now. Flames chewed through the stacks and rows upon rows of books fell and were destroyed.  
I turned seeking out a window hoping to steal a fresh breath of air. The curtains were roaring and dancing with fire. Great chunks of cloth and wood began to fall from the rafters looking like tears. The Library was dying. The Library was crying. And Alexander wept…  
I started hacking and coughing and wiped the tears from my eyes. I wanted to look at Naevia for however long possible. Her eyes held mine and we were both briefly happy for a second while the world burned. And then it was gone. Cold steel under me. A limp Naevia in my arms. I looked up and saw Annette’s horrified eyes looking right at me. I was back home, a mere seconds to them after I had left. A whole lifetime had passed for me.  
I returned my eyes to Naevia but she didn’t seem to see me. Her eyes were opened but not focused on me. “No!” I screamed and started to shake her. “No, don’t die, don’t die, please don’t die!” I sobbed and shook her desperate to keep her with me. White coats descended and took her from my arms. I tried to fight them off but too much smoke inhalation and blurry eyes made me weak. Her body was strapped to a gurney and they wheeled her away. I didn’t know if she was still alive. I didn’t know what they were taking her for. I coughed and sputtered the smoke from my lungs and tried to scream for her. A strong arm was suddenly around me forcing me to focus and make sense of what had just happened.  
Annette. She held my face, making me look at her. Concern and worry were etched on every line of her face. It took me a few seconds to realize she was talking to me. “Alexander,” she spoke my name clearly. Her voice was going in and out and I had to clear out the haze in my head to hear her. “Alexander!” The voice of my best friend brought me back.  
My eyes focused on her and I placed my hands over hers. “Alexander, what happened to you?” Her eyes looked so scared and I could tell she didn’t care about the Library anymore. Someone handed her a glass of water and she forced a few sips down my throat. I finally stopped trembling enough and found my voice. I knew my words were about to break her heart.  
“I caused it. I caused the fire. They had no defense.” My eyes drifted off her face. Where was Naevia? I wanted to be with her.  
“Focus, Xan. What defense did they not have?” I swallowed and returned my gaze to hers.  
“Against me. The pathogens I carried from the future. They had no immunosuppressant. They got sick from my being there.”  
I heard numerous gasps and someone breathed out, “Oh good Lord!” It was Dr. Franklin. Tears streamed down her face as she was confronted with the tragedy that we had caused.  
In an attempt to stop a significant event in history, we caused it. My mind returned to my first day in Alexandria. Brushing by people’s cloaks, tousling the hair of children running by me, trailing my fingers over the fine parchment in the Library’s shelves. The fruit I had bought from a vendor must have infected hundreds of people.  
Over centuries pathogens and viruses mutate and grow. And the human species adapts and survives to the new strains. The people of Alexandria had no defense against the super viruses I carried in my body that were now harmless to me. We were so desperate to change the past we destroyed the future. So many people died that day. So many people died in subsequent events. And for what? Naevia’s dead body and a few scrolls I had stuffed into my satchel.  
I was suddenly so tired. Surviving a fire takes a lot out of a person, I guess. Annette held on to me tightly and I started to drift away. “It would have been beautiful.” I muttered. Naevia had said something like that.  
“What, Xan?” Annette said holding me tighter.  
“My future with her.” My head turned in the direction that they had taken Naevia, and Annette followed my gaze. I knew she understood what I meant, but she couldn’t feel what I felt. Everything I was feeling was no more than a pile of ashes.


End file.
